Corpse cooler and preserver



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1..

H. C. JOHNSON.

GORPSE GOOLER AND PEESERVEE. V No. 328,(386. Patented Oct. 20, 1885.

` 'un zma (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Slet 2. H. C. JOHNSON.

GORPSE GOOLBR AND PRESERVER.

Paten ted Oct. 20,188&

' the cooling-pipes,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY oLAY JOHNSON, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

CORPSE COOLER AND P RESERVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 328.686, dated October 20 1885.

Application filed August 10, 1885. Serial No. 173,985. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY CLAY J OHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meadville, in the county of Crawford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Corpse Coolers and Preserjvers, of which the following is a specification.

My improved corpsc cooler and preserver is constructed with a coiled pipe of tin or other metal, or of rubber or other suitable material, within a box or receptaole for the body, combined with a condenser, generator, or receiver for containing a suitable cooling medium-as,forexample,compressedammonia or carbonic-acid gaswhich is allowed to eX- pand from the receiver or condenser within the said pipes to produce the desired refrgerating efi`ect.

Under my improved Construction the pipes are not used for holding condensed gas under pressure, and hence do not require to possess special strength; consequently they may be made of cheap material, as above suggested.

The discharge end of the cooling-coil connects, through the medium of a check-valve, with a water-tank, in which the ammoniacal gas is received and condensed in customary manner. The coiled pipe is moreover provided with stop-cocks where it entel-s and leaves the cooling box or chamber, so that the cooling medium may be imprisoned for any desired length of time within the coil, and may be so held while the gas-holder and the watertank or either of them are detached. A dialcock is also provided to accurately regulate the supply of cooling 'gas from the gas-holder; also, a thermal valve connected with the coil within the cooling-chamber, which may be set to automatically regulate the refrigerating action to any desired degree of temperature;

A s the great desiderata for preventing decomposition of all animal and otherbodies are low temperature and freedom from moisture in the surroundingair, I employ detachable dehydrating appliances in connection w th consistin g of annular chambers made of gauze or perforated metal, adapted to be easily applied or detached and to contain common salt, chloride of lime, or other deliquescent substauce to take upand absorb moisture from the air. These annular dehydratingchambers for the reception of deliquescent material are made in two parts hinged together, so as to adapt them to be clasped around the cooling-pipes or removed there from at will, and are provided at one or both ends with stoppered apertures for the introduction or removal of the salt.

In the accompanyng drawings, Figure I is a perspective view of a corpse cooler and preserver illustrating my invention. Fig. Il is a perspective view of the cooling-board used in connection therewith. Fig. III is a'side elevation of a cooling-board in use. Fig. IV is a detail view of the thermostat on a larger scale. Fig. V is a perspectiveview of one of the dehydrating-cylinders detached on a larger scale. Fig. VI is a transverse section of the same applied to the pipe, also on a larger scale.

The case or box l may be of any suitable form. The cooling-pipe 2 surrounds its interior in any necessary number of coils, both of the extremities of said coiled pipe projecting preferably from box. Theinduction end is connected through the medium of a detachable hose or pipe, 3, with a receiver or gas-holder, 4, adapted to contain ammoniacal or other gas under press-- ure and to supply it as a cooling medium as rapidly-as necessary, under control of a stopcock, 13, having a dial-indicator, 14, to accurately regulate the flow. Stop-cocks 5 5 are provided in the projecting ends of the pipe close tothe box 1 for the purpose of i'm prisoningthe gas in the coil 2whenever this may be desirable. The discharge end of the pipe comm'unicates through a' detachable hose or pipe, 6, with a water-tank, 4', in which the ammoniacal gas is received and condensed in customary manner,a check-valve, 15, being provided to prevent the reflux of gas or influx of water within the pipe 6 01'2, and the recciving-nozzle of the water-tank being furthermore provided with a simple stop-cock,

16, by which it may be opened or closed at will.

17 represents a. valve 'within the coolingchamber 1, (preferably located near the induction end of coil 2,) regulated by atheriostat,

18 tuie within the cooling-box to any degree to which the said thermostat may beset.

so as to automatically control the tempera- The construction of the thermostat is shown in detail on a larger scale in Fig. IV, 19 being a cylinder for the reception of mercury or other fluid expansible by heat, 20 a piston working threin, having a piston-rod, 21 22, divided into two parts, screwing one within the other, so as to regulate the efi'ective length of the rod. This piston-rod connectswith alever, 23, fulcrumed at 24, and having on its free end a segment-rack, 25, gearing with a piuion, 26, on the spindle* of the thernal valves 17. A spring, 27, presses the pisten down against the expansive action of the fluid, so as to keep it in constant contact therewith. A milled head, 28, is provided on the adjustable rod 22 for screwing it up or down in the piston-rod 21, to regulate the length, as aforesaid. The dehydrating appliance consists of an annular jacket constructed with an outer shell, 29, preferably of cylindrical form, divided longitudinally into two parts, connected at one side by hinges 30 and fastened tog'ether on the opposite side by suitable clasps, 31. Concentric with this outer tube, 29, is an inner tube, 32', also made in two parts, which are permanently connected to the respective parts of the outer tube, 29, by longitudinal plates 33, which meet face to face when the connected semi-annular receptacles are clasped around the pipes. The ends of the chanbers formed between the concentric semiecylindrical perforated or gauze tubes 29 32 are closed by semi-annular plates, 34, pernanently connected to the respective senicylindrical tubes 29 32 and to the longitudinal plates 33. Within these end plates, 34, are apertures closed by corks or other stoppers 35, to permit the ready insertion and removal of the salt or other deliqnescent material. The tubes 29 32 and end plates, 34,' may be made of perforated sheet metal, or either or all of them may be made of wire-gauze, if preferred.

The mode of using the invention will be clearly nnderstood from the above description. The inner tube or cylinder, 32, tightly clasping the cooling-conduit 2, insures close contact therewith, so that the deliquescent salt is elfectually cooled throughout its body, while the perforated or reticulated outer shell, 29, permits the air to be cooled' and dehydrated to penetrate throughout the body of deliquescent salt contained therein. The beat and moisture in the said .air are rapidly taken up and the vapor condensed by contact with the intensely cold deliquescent matter and quickly absorbed thereby, so that the air is reduced to a dry state at a very low temperatnre, bringing it into the best possible condition for preserving the body contained within the chamber.

Any suitable and we1l-knownmaterial may be used for dehydrating the air by absorbing the moistnre therefrom as, forexample, chloride of sodium, chloride of calcium, or 65 magnesia, canstic soda, &0.

Chambers of flat or any other desirable centricseni-cylindrical shells of ganze or perterialj.

shape may be substituted for the coiled pipe 2 for containing the cooling medium.

By the means provided as described above for connectng or disconnecting the cooling-" pipe with the gas-holder at one end and the water tank or condenser at the other and i closing the ends of the pipe, I am enabled with i great facility to imprison the gas within the cooling coil and remove the apparatus fully charged from place to place, as may be desirable; or to replace gas holders and condensers which have been used with fresh ones as often as required when bodies are to be' v preserved for protracted periods.'

The cooling boards'illustrated in Figs. II and III are made asfully described in Letters Patent No. 311,7 granted to me February 3, 1885.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim' as new thei-ein and desire to secure by Letters Patent- -1. The combination of the corpse-receiving case or box 1, coolingconduit 2, placed directly within the corpse-receiving chamber,` the gas-holder 4, the dial-cock 13 14, and the stop cocks 5 5', as and for the purposes described.

2. The combination of the corpse-receiv'ing case or box 1, the cooling conduit 2, placed directly within the corpse-receiving chamber, 4 the gas-holder' 4, the condensing water-tank, i and the detachable hose or 3 6, as and for the purposes described.

3. The combination of the corpse-receivig` case or box 1, the cooling-conduit` 2, the gas- .holder 4, and the thermal regulator consisting of a valve, 17, and a thermostat controlling the same by the temperature within the corpsereceiving chamlzer, as herein explaincd.

4. The combination of the corpse-receiving case or box 1, the cooling-Conduit 2, the gasholder 4, detachable hose or connecting-pipes 3 6, and check -valve 15, as and for the purposes set forth. no

5. A corpse cooler and preserver consisting i of a` receiving case or box, 1, a cooling-conduit, 2, placed directly within the co'pse-'eceiving chamber, the detachable gas-holder i, and the detachable dehydrating-jackets 29 32, clasped around the cooling pipos within the corpse-receiving chamber, as e lained.

6. A dehydrating-jacketfor refrigeratingi pipes, constructed, as herein described, of con- :zo forated material to permit the p t t. of au', connected by longitudinal plates, so as to form two semi-annular ehambers adapted to be clasped around. the refrigerating-pipe, and provided with stoppered apertures for the introduction and removal of deliqnescent ma- HENBY CLAY.JO1EINS( )N. witnesses:

NOBMAN M. -Jomvsow,

ABCHIE K. J oIINs'roNE.

connecting-pipes g i i 

